Reading the Validation Badges

Every catalog entry carries a validation badge summarizing the genetic evidence behind its specificity claim, so you can gauge confidence at a glance before opening the full datasheet.

KO

Knockout-Validated. The antibody was tested side-by-side on lysate or tissue from a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout line lacking the target gene, alongside matched wild-type material. A clean loss of signal in the knockout lane is the strongest available evidence that the antibody binds the intended protein and not a cross-reactive paralog or off-target band.

KD

Knockdown-Validated. The antibody was tested on lysate from cells treated with siRNA or shRNA against the target transcript, compared against a non-targeting control. Because knockdown reduces rather than eliminates target protein, KD evidence typically shows a partial reduction in band intensity rather than a complete loss of signal, and knockdown efficiency is reported where available.

Entries without either badge have been validated through orthogonal methods such as peptide-blocking controls, correlation with expression across a tissue panel, or benchmarking against a previously characterized antibody to the same epitope; the specific method is listed on each product's specification page. When comparing two candidates for a new application, treat a KO badge as the higher bar: it rules out the specific failure mode that most often undermines western blot and immunofluorescence results, while a KD badge remains meaningful evidence for targets where a full knockout is lethal or impractical.